In 2017 the automotive industry is heading into an age of turbulence: recent and ongoing changes in global politics add an additional layer of complexity to demographic, technological and regulatory changes already affecting the industry. New players are trying to establish a foothold and digital, asset-light business models are evolving by leveraging their ability to quickly adapt to a continuously changing environment. At the same time the reconfiguration of the European OEM landscape and the potential limitation of access for foreign-produced vehicles to the North American market generate uncertainty in the industry. Against this scenery leading companies in the industry – suppliers, OEMs and distributors – need to find ways to increase their flexibility while not putting their existing revenue streams at risk. How can the industry of industries, which generates more jobs, more innovation and more middle class households than most other industries, wether this Age of Turbulence?

At this year’s edition of our annual meeting of the automotive industry, IESE AUTO, we hope to shed some light on these questions while also addressing the “classic” questions related to the Spanish, European and global markets. In doing so, we will continue our tradition of providing a premier platform for senior executives from the automotive industry, industry experts and leading academics to exchange ideas about the future of the industry of industries.